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Eddy Says
Eddy Says: Keep CALM and carry on
By Eddy Temple-Morris | Published on Monday 21 February 2011
I found out about CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) in the most horrible way possible, through somebody that I knew, a brilliant, talented, shiny 22 year old man, with a fantastic life in front of him. But he suffered from depression, and like the vast majority of people who suffer the same awful condition, he didn’t talk about it, and ended up killing himself.
His best friend, a man of incredible dignity and kindness, introduced me to CALM and through his selfless enthusiasm I’ve become involved, and now share a seat on the board of this important charity.
But here’s the rub. I’ve talked about this before, in the context of Cage Against The Machine, about how deeply unsexy and unattractive this type of charity is, to people in general. It’s easy to forget that the government are people too, and what the masses find unsexy, government will most likely feel the same way.
You know, if you’ve read this column for any length of time, that the NUMBER ONE KILLER of people under 25 in this country is not drugs or cars or bikes, it’s suicide, following depression. You will also know that you’re four times more likely to kill yourself if you are a man than if you are a woman (see my Ou Est Le Conversation? piece from last year).
There is a much needed government white paper about to come out about this. In this document the government are not prepared to admit that ‘men’ are a category worth worrying about.
If you’re a soldier suffering from depression, then you’re acknowledged by the government. If you’re in prison, the same. This is all good, but it’s MEN that need help, normal men, people like you and me… well, maybe not you or me, but some of our friends, more than we know, because we’re so shit at talking about it.
Basically, the way things stand, the only way you’ll get help from the government for depression is if you either kill somebody whilst in uniform, or murder someone, or do something else horrid, out of uniform, and get a prison sentence. The government are admitting that men in either prison or military uniform are a recognised problem area, but they’re missing the wood for the trees, it’s MEN that are the problem, what they’re wearing has sweet Fanny Adams to do with it.
This huge problem is one that CALM are trying desperately to do something about, but the awful truth is that the whole charity is in serious danger of imploding. Cage Against The Machine was great for awareness but we ended up having to give away most of the money raised to other charities that are much better funded. If we lose CALM then we lose the only chance to dent these totally unacceptable suicide figures.
I’ve come up with an idea for a radio show that’ll bring in some serious bucks, if all goes according to plan, but this show will take time to plan and execute, and involves a lot of A-listers, and it always takes time to nail them down. In the meantime, I need help. We need help.
I’m asking you, good people that you are, to please consider pitching in. I know some of you already support other charities, mostly cancer, from the messages you send me and advice you ask for regularly. If you do, then carry on, and good on you. I wouldn’t ask you to stop doing that or to replace your beneficiary charity. But anyone else, anyone perhaps thinking they might do something to help, it’s you I’m appealing to.
To do anything at all that can help raise funds. Look out for the Reset Magazine launch parties around the country, with the likes of Dan LeSac Vs Scroobius Pip, Rob da Bank, Gareth Brooks and myself on the bill. We’re organising an auction, too. You could get involved with that, or a club night, a party, an event in your local pub or venue, a sponsored mullet, anything, the desperation is that acute. If we can’t get some cash into their coffers by April then CALM may have to just stop and we cannot let that happen if we can help it.
The economics of it all is frightening. This charity needs about a quarter of a million quid to do what they do every year. For example, to keep ONE phoneline going 24 hrs a day, with volunteers, costs around nine grand. CALM only have one employee, and she does so much that I don’t think the poor woman has had a decent night’s sleep in years. Her name is Jane, she is amazing, and we need to give her some support, so anything you can do, it doesn’t matter how little it is, just let her know: [email protected].
This is a clarion call from the rooftops, I cannot tell you how disastrous it would be for the youth of Great Britain to lose this charity, that works tirelessly to help stop them from killing themselves, and anything you can do to help, or to raise funds in your own way, would be massively appreciated.
Spread the word, pass this on, retweet, Facebook post, email, just please spread the word among the good people you know, and maybe together, we can do something we can be REALLY proud of.
Thanking you, in advance,
Eddy
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